Female Boxing Takes Over This Week

Women Warriors Dominate Boxing Scene This Week

 

By David A. Avila

Top American fighters led by Claressa Shields take their titles, reputations and test their star power overseas in the United Kingdom while another fight card tests American promoters in Central America all this week.

Women’s boxing is breaking barriers.

Strap season arrives with Shields facing Savannah Marshall for undisputed middleweight status and Alycia Baumgardner clashing with Mikaela Mayer for unified super featherweight titles, all on Saturday Sept. 10. ESPN+ will stream the all-women fight card from O2 Arena in London, England. Fight card begins at 11:30 a.m. PT.

The two main fights have been percolating for more than a few years.

“If you look at great American male fighters at the peak of their careers, they did not risk going overseas to fight their rivals,” said American promoter Dmitry Salita.

But first, on Thursday Sept. 8, Golden Boy Promotions and MarvNation Promotions stage two title fights in San Jose, Costa Rica. IBF minimumweight titlist Yokasta Valle (25-2) meets WBO titlist Thi Thu Nguyen (5-0) in a unification bout that will be streamed live on DAZN at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

Costa Rica’s Valle trained in Los Angeles for this unification match with Vietnam’s Nguyen. It’s a boxing match that pits speed versus strength.

“It took 30 hours to get here. When I get back to Vietnam I’m returning with two belts,” said the taller Nguyen who seemed shorter because Valle was wearing four-inch heels at the press conference.

Shorter or not, Valle invites strong competition.

“It’s a pleasure to be here. Champion versus champion. I love strong fights. I’m more than ready to fight and win two world titles,” said Valle the extremely fast 105-pound fighter.

In the co-main event, Adelaida “La Cobra” Ruiz of Los Angeles once again meets Sonia Osorio. Their first fight ended abruptly in the second round due to a clash of heads. That boxing match was back in March 2021.

“I’m very excited to be fighting her again,” said Ruiz (11-0-1). “Let the best fighter win.”

Mexico’s Osorio (15-7-2) is defending the WBC interim super flyweight title.

“I’m glad to be having this second fight with Adelaida Ruiz,” said Osorio.

 

All Women Boxing Card in London

Once again, an all-women fight card takes place and involves Shields who sponsored a similar card earlier this year. This time Shields faces amateur nemesis Savannah Marshall for undisputed middleweight status. The tall Brit is the only boxer to beat Shields in the amateurs.

For Marshall it’s a chance that amateur win was no fluke.

Shields (12-0, 2 Kos) meets Marshall (12-0, 10 Kos) for all the middleweight titles. And moreover, to avenge the only loss she’s ever known. Other factors exist such as pushing the women’s boxing agenda to high profile status. This fight card has that kind of impact.

“I fought wherever they were going to pay me and give me a lot of respect at. Now I’m big enough to fight in the UK,” said Shields during an interview with British media. “And when I walk the streets here in the UK people know who I am. I feel good about that. And that we finally got this fight done with Marshall.”

Shields is not the only female prizefighter seeking to boost the women’s game.

“I always said that I want to do everything I can so that the next generation of boxers have an opportunity to make money,” said IBF and WBO titlist Mikaela Mayer a fellow 2016 US Olympian with Shields. They remain friends.

Mayer (17-0, 5 Kos) faces a strong test with another American fighter Alycia Baumgardner (12-1, 7 Kos) for all the titles except the WBA super featherweight version. Their battle has added gasoline to a fire that been burning for more than two years.

“We’ve seen the best Mikaela Mayer, we seen that. No one has seen the best Alycia Baumgardner. I’m a different type of breed, I’m a different type of athlete,” says Baumgardner who holds the IBO and WBC titles.

A slew of other female bouts are also on the card including American prospects such as Ginny Fuchs and European prospects such as Sarah Liegmann. American audiences can view it on ESPN+ and European fans can watch it on SKY.

 

More Female Boxing News

Argentina

Juliana Basualdo (9-2) won by majority decision after eight rounds versus Maria Mazzarello (3-2) on Saturday Sept. 3. The super bantamweight bout took place at Buenos Aires. Also, Laila Martinez (1-0) beat Glenda Higuera (1-1) in a flyweight fight.

 

Australia

Rebecca Hawker (6-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds against Hollie Towl (0-1) on Saturday Sept. 3. The WIBA featherweight title fight took place at Eatons Hill.

Bec Moss (1-2) defeated Mai Soliman (1-1) by split decision after six rounds on Friday Sept. 2. The flyweight bout took place at Revesby. Also, super flyweight Sarah Watt (1-2-1) beat Rosario Amador (0-2-1).

 

Belgium

Amy Naert (6-1) won by unanimous decision after six rounds against Melanie Mercier (2-14-1) on Saturday Sept. 3. The flyweight bout took place at Dudzele.

 

Canada

On Friday Sept. 9, super welterweights Mary Spencer (6-0) and Cynthia Lozano (9-1) meet 10 rounds for regional boxing titles at Montreal. Also, super featherweights Leila Beaudoin (6-0) and Karla Ramos (9-8) meet six rounds.

On Friday Sept. 9, super middleweights Melinda Watpool (0-0) and Silva Barraza (1-1) meet four rounds at Brampton.

 

Colombia

Bethy Franco (3-0-1) beat Sasthy Ramirez (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Sunday Sept. 4. The super bantamweight fight took place in Melgar. Also, Angi Romero (1-0) decisioned Carolina Mejia (0-2) in a lightweight match.

 

Costa Rica

On Thursday Sept. 8. Minimumweights Yokasta Valle (25-2) and Thi Thu Nhi Nguyen (5-0) meet 10 rounds for the IBF and WBO world titles at San Jose. Also, super flyweights Adelaida Ruiz (11-0-1) and Sonia Osorio (15-7-2) meet 10 rounds for the interim WBC world title. Plus atomweights Anabel Ortiz (31-5) and Maria Santizo (9-1) meet eight rounds. DAZN will stream the fights live.

 

Germany

On Saturday Sept. 10, super welterweights Hanna Hansen (5-0) and Stephanie Wirt (0-4) meet eight rounds at Giessen.

On Saturday Sept. 10, super bantamweights Melina Maibaum (2-0) and Angela Cannizzaro (6-16-1) meet four rounds at Hamburg.

 

Japan

Noa Sakamoto (2-0) beat Ayumi Tanaka (0-3) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Sept. 3. The atomweight match took place at Osaka.

Yuko Kuroki (20-7-2) defeated Nanae Suzuki (11-5-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Thursday Sept. 1. The WBO atomweight match took place at Tokyo. Also, Mika Iwakawa (11-6-1) beat Ayaka Minao (25-10-2) by decision for the IBF atomweight title; Eri Matsuda (5-1-1) beat Kaori Nagai (6-5-3) for a regional atomweight title; Sumire Yamanaka (6-0) knocked out Honoka Kano (4-1-2) in the fifth round for a regional atomweight title; Mizuki Hiruta (3-0) defeated Hinami Yanai (2-1) in a flyweight bout; Nao Ugawa (2-0) beat Kanae Maehara (2-1) in a minimumweight bout; Emily Abe (1-2) beat Reiko Mori (1-2) in a atomweight bout; and Yuki Fuke (1-0) beat Moeko Okada (1-1) in a flyweight bout. (Read Yuriko Mirata’s story on this web site for more on this fight card. The story appeared on Saturday.”

 

Mexico

Erika Cruz (15-1) defeated Canada’s Jelena Mrdjenovich (41-12-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Sept. 3. The WBA featherweight world title match was held at Hermosillo. It was a rematch.

 

Thailand

Daorueng Pakkhetenang (2-12) knocked out Chatsuda Trisit (0-1) in the first round on Sunday Sept. 4. The bantamweight fight was held in Bangkok.

 

United Kingdom

Natasha Jonas (12-2-1) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds against Sweden’s Patricia Berghult (15-1) on Saturday Sept. 3. The WBC, WBO super welterweight unification match was held at Liverpool, England. It was Jonas first title defense and second time fighting at super welter.

Vicky Wilkinson (4-0-1) and Kristine Shergold (7-6-1) fought to a majority draw after 10 rounds on Friday Sept. 2. The super featherweight fight was held at Torquay, England.

On Friday Sept. 9, super featherweights Kirsty Hill (1-0) and Gabriella Mezei (11-31-5) meet six rounds at Rotherham. England.

On Saturday Sept. 10, middleweights Claressa Shields (12-0) and Savannah Marshall (12-0) meet 10 rounds for the undisputed middleweight world championship at London, England. Also, super featherweights Mikaela Mayer (17-0) and Alycia Baumgardner (12-1) meet 10 rounds for the IBO, IBF, WBO, WBC world titles; super welterweights April Hunter (5-1) and Erica Alvarez (3-6) meet six rounds; featherweights Ebonie Jones (2-0-1) and Vanessa Caballero (4-15-3) meet six rounds; Karriss Artingstall (1-0) and Marina Sakharov (5-16-2) meet six rounds; lightweights Caroline Dubois (3-0) and Milena Koleva (10-14-1) meet six rounds; flyweights Ginny Fuchs (1-0) and Gemma Ruegg (5-4) meet six rounds; welterweights Lauren Price (1-0) and Timea Belik (6-6) meet six rounds; super flyweights Shannon Ryan (2-0) and Buchra El Quaissi (3-2-3) meet six rounds; super bantamweights Sarah Liegmann (4-0) and Bec Connolly (3-15) meet six rounds. ESPN+ will be showing the world title fights.

 

USA

On Thursday Sept. 8, super bantamweights Carmen Vargas (3-0-1) and Jasmine Clarkson (4-14) meet six rounds at Pasadena, Texas.

On Saturday Sept. 10, bantamweights Devany Cuevas (2-0) and Leanne Calderon (0-1-1) meet four rounds at San Antonio, Texas.